Shower fixture



July 31,1945. C'RMORRIS 2,380,665

SHOWER FIXTURE Filed Dec. 5, 1942 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i v INVEVNTOR f/Claremon Faber? Morris 1 I BY v July 31, 1945. c. R. MORRIS I SHOWERFIXTURE Filed D sc; 5, 1942 INVENTOR. ,Claremoni Faber? Morris BY 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented July 31, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIQE SHOWER FIXTURE ClaremontRobert Morris, New York, N. Y.Application December 3, 1942, Serial No. 467,691

8 Claims.

This invention relates to shower fixtures and more particularly tofixtures such as are employed in conjunction with a bathtub as the wateror shower receptacle.

In shower fixtures of the character indicated, it has been a commonpractice to employ rigid rings for support of a sliding curtain and ashower head from the wall or ceiling to supply the desired spray ofwater. involved with such prior art constructions may be mentioned thefact that the ring has been made no greater in diameter than the widthof the bathtub so as to insure the curtain hanging into the tub. Evenfor a normal person, the enclosed region is somewhat cramped and for aperson of greater corpulancy than normal, the space is definitelyinadequate. A further drawback of showers of the prior art resides inthe fact the curtain, even though slid on the rod to proximity of thesupporting wall, is still in the way of use of the tub independent ofthe shower attachment, since the curtain hangs into the tub in aconcentrated disposition taking a considerable amount of space from freeuse by the bather.

The present invention has for objects to overcome the drawbacks of priorart constructions and to render a shower assembly better adapted for useand less objectionable when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shower fixture whichmaybe readily manipulated and wherein the curtain may be convenientlyopened, closed and adjusted to desired'size of encompassed space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fixture by which thecurtain may be moved to, position next a wall and at such time offerminimum obstruction to the use of the tub.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fixture obtainingappropriate water spray converging inwardly from the side rather thandirectly from overhead and to adjust the distance from theperson of thesource of spray when adjusting the size of the enclosure.

Still other objects will appear as the description progresses, both bydirect recitation thereof and by implication from the context.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shower fixture embodying my inventionand showing the same in position for use;

Figure 2 is a plan of the shower fixture shown Amongst the drawbacks.

in Figure l'and indicating an open position of curtain support by dottedlines;

Figure 3 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing the curtainsupport for the shower fixture swung to position of non-use and forpermitting free use of the tub for bathing or other purposes;

Figure 4 is an elevational-sectional view on line IV--IV of Figure 2;

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a side elevation and a plancorresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, but showing a modified rectilinearconstruction;

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the modified construction of Figs. 5and 6; and

Figure 8 is a plan of a further modified com I struction.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in saiddrawings, and giving attention initially to Figures '1 to 4 inclusive,the refertive diameter and opened entirely for ingress and egress of aperson. The forward ends of the support sections may be caused tooverlap, thus decreasing the enclosed region. The sections each carry acurtain l3 hanging therefrom, and, supported by loops or the like fromthe sections, are of a width coextensive with the lengths of therespective sections and not slidable to any ex.- tent thereon. Thus toopen the curtain, the support sections are swung apart, and to close thecurtain said sections arev swung together Said support sections as shownin Figures 1 to 4 are preferably not only movable, and constitutecurtain supports, but likewise are hollow and perforate and act as theshowerhead. They are accordingly appropriately attached to the source ofhot and cold water supply. As shown, the rear ends of the sections entera pivoted bracket member which is here shown hollow to constitut amixing-head 14 to which hot and cold water is supplied from house pipesl5, l5. Said pivoted bracket or mixing head 14 provides a lower chamberl6 into which the house pipes I5, I lead from opposite sides and onwhich the said mixing-head or bracket is trunnioned so as to bevertically rotated on said pipes as a horizontal axis. Said pipesterminate with open ends in said chamber so the hot and cold watertherefrom will be mixed on entry into the chamber. The rear ends of thesections are bent to a vertical position and enter said chamber at thetop to receive the mixture therefrom. The top wall of said chamber is apartition I! horizontally disposed in said bracket member, and above thepartition is another chamber l8 which I will term a gear chamber in thatit is shown containing a pair of gear segments l9, l9 constantly in meshone with the other and secured to the vertical portions of said curtainsupport section which extend downwardly through the gear chamber andwhich are trunnioned in the top wall thereof as well as in the partitionI1. By virtue of the meshing of said gear segments, swinging of onecurtain support section obtains corresponding swing of the other.

Pivotal mounting of the bracket member or mixing-head l4 enables thecurtain support sections to be swung upwardly simultaneously as a unitand to thereby position the unit toward the supporting wall. Since thecurtain does not slide much of any on the supporting sections,-its frontpart will be raised and out of the way back toward the wall when thesections are swung as a unit with the bracket backwardly upward. Thisenables the tub to be used with minimum interference from the curtain orthe shower fixture.

A handle 20 is carried by one curtain supporting section formanipulation thereof both to open and close the curtain and to swing theunit constituted by said sections and mixing-head to and from positionof non-use next the wall. Said handle is trunnioned on the section so asto remain in a depending position for all positions of the section, butis prevented, as by collar 2|, from swinging in a direction sidewise andthus will be effective for opening and closing the sections as well asfor raising and lowering the sections as a unit.

As has been indicated, the curtain supporting sections are hollow andperforate, as at 22, for directing spray jets inwardly downwardconverging toward a person standing within the curtain enclosure orregion. It is to be understood that this construction avoids showeringthe user directly from overhead by a rosette spray commonly employedwith bath-tub showers, such a rosette spra being illustrated inconnection with Figures 5 to 8. However, for those who wish it. therosette spray may be used in addition to the encompassing spray abovedescribed and shown in Figures 1 to 4,

For lateral spray to the body of the user, upright spray pipes 23 may besuspended at intervals from the ring to which appropriate pipeconnection is made. These upright spray pipes are perforated, as at 24,toward the axis of the spray unit so as to direct the spray to the user.The upper ends of the pipes are swiveled to the section so as to beswung, as the unit is swung upward, in a manner enabling the uprightspray pipes 23 to remain p ght and move backward toward the wall whenthe unit is swung upward. If desired.

one of these upright spray pipes 23 may have a substantially J-shaped orother nozzle terminus 25 at its lower end for enabling the user todirect a stream of water to and between the legs and intimate parts ofthe body thereat. A valve 28 is provided to regulate or shut off thewater supply to this nozlze when use thereof is not desired. The nozzlepreferably has a swivel connection with the pipe so it may be turnedlaterally to desired position of non-use or inwardly toward the personin the shower when use of the nozzle is desired.

While the curvilinear construction of the fixture sections heretoforedescribed, as well as the use of the same as means for distributing thespray have certain advantages, the invention is not limited to thosedetails of construction. Accordingly rectilinear formations and fixturesections of solid or non-hollow construction may be employed.

In Figures 5 to 7 the curtain-supporting unit is composed of a pluralityof sections of which a rear pair 21 are geared substantially as beforeto move together. In this instance, the gear enclosure is a fixedbracket 28 having forwardly projecting parallel plates, one above theother, oetween which the gear segments are mounted rotatably. The rearsections 21 are directly connected to the respective gear segments andproject in the general planethereof from between the said parallelplates of the bracket. These sections 21 are shown as substantiallystraight bars and when swung back will extend lengthwise of the wall towhich the bracket is attached. The forward end of each said rear section21 has a front curtain-supporting section 29 pivoted thereto on avertical axis so the front section may be independently swung laterally.Said front sections are preferably constructed and adapted to overlap attheir forward ends for the closed position of the curtain. Each frontsection has 2. depending handle 30 thereon, and the front sections maytherefore be swung open or shut with appropriate manipulation of thehandles, without disturbing the rear sections, but when desired t0 fullyopen the curtain and get it back to the wall, the rear sections may beforced back by appropriate pressure on the handles and the frontsections then also folded in desired relation toward the wall eitheroutwardly from the bracket or inwardly toward the bracket.

In the construction illustrated in Figure 8, a rear bracket 3| isprovided fixed on the wall and having a span substantially that of thedesired lateral dimension for the curtain enclosure. At each end of thisbracket 3| is pivoted a rear section 32 of a length approximately. halfthe desired forward dimension for the curtain enclosure, and at thefront end of each rear section is pivoted a complementary side section33 such that the combined length of the rear section and complementarysection equals the desired forward dimension for the curtain enclosure.At the forward end of each complementary side section 33 is pivoted afront section 34, the two front sections having ample length to overlapwhen the sections are arranged in a square formation. The overlap willenable the enclosure to be enlarged by swinging the side sectionsoutwardly away from each other a moderate distance. The free ends of thefront sections have depending handles 35 for manipulating the sectionsin the various desired movements thereof. To get the curtain (notshown), which is supported on the several sections, back to the wall outof the way.

having water passage said sections may be variously folded back, as forinstance as shown in dotted lines. In the constructions illustrated inFigures to 8 inclusive, the water may of course be supplied after themanner illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, but by way of exemplifyingsimplified modifications, the sections are indicated in Figures 5 to 8as solid bars and the spray is furnished by a usual type of rosettespray head 36. Furthermore, in all modifications it is to be understooda curtain, as shown in Figure l but not attempted to be illustrated inother views, is hung from the sections and preferably prevented frommaterial sliding displacement by appropriate fastening thereof to thesection or sections on which hung. While a few arbitrarily selectedembodiments of the invention have been illustrated and specificallydescribed, it will be understood that this has been done by way ofexemplification of the invention and that the invention is capable ofend to said bracket other physical embodiments coming within the termsof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shower fixture comprising a mixing-head, shower-head curtainsupporting sections pivoted to said mixing-head and having water passageconnection therewith, means supplying water to said mixing-head, saidsections having perforations therein for spray exit of water therefrom,and means for moving said sections toward and away from each other.

2. A shower fixture comprising a bracket member, a shower-head curtainsupporting means carried by a forward part of said bracket member, saidbracket member being horizontally trunnioned at a rearward part thereofto swing vertically and thereby permit the bracket member and saidsupporting means to be swung as a unit from a horizontal to asubstantially upright position, and a handle for swinging said unit.

3. A shower fixture comprising a shower head therein, and a pipedepending from said shower head and having an upwardly directed spraymeans therefrom for obtaining a spray of water supplied from andemanating at a distance below said shower head upwardly toward the user.I

4, A'shower fixture comprising a bracket, rodlike solid shower curtainsupport rear sections pivoted to said bracket, gear segments on the rearends of said sections, said gear segments being in mesh, and othercurtain supporting sections pivotally carried by said rear sections andforming therewith a curtain support for a shower enclosure.

5. A shower fixture comprising a bracket, side rear sections of acurtain supporting means pivoted to said bracket, complementary frontside to the rear sections, and front said complementary secgreaterlength sections pivoted sections pivoted to the tions, said frontsections having than other sections.

6. A shower fixture comprising a shower curtain support composed of asingle bracket means supportable from and in front of a vertical wall,two movable sections each trunnioned at its inner means and at adistance in front of said wall, said bracket means being common to bothsaid sections, and each said section being free of the other at theouter end and said outer end being in most remote position from the wallwhen said sections are closed, whereby said outer ends are adapted toswing away from the wall and toward each other to a closed position andaway from each other and toward the wall to open position of saidsections and with the sections engaging against the said wall uponaffording unobstructed entrance between the outer ends from each othermaximum distance permitted by said wall, and a curtain hung on andmovable with said sections, said curtain adapted to be parted byswinging said sections toward open position.

7. A shower fixture comprising a shower curtain support composed ofmovable sections adapted to be mounted at an overhead elevation,

' means pivotally supporting said sections to swing toward and away fromeach other, and an elongated handle rigid throughout its length, saidhandle depending from and pivoted to one said section but nonrotatablewith respect to that section in opening and closing direction ofmovement of said section.

-8. A shower fixture comprising a shower curtain support composed ofmovable sections, means pivotally supporting and cooperativelyconnecting said sections to swing the outer end portions thereof towardand away from each other, an elongated handle rigid throughout itslength, said handle depending from one said section and beingnonrotatable with respect to that section in opening and closingdirection of movement of said sections, said sections beingcooperatively coupled at their pivoted ends for inverse movementswhereby operating the one section having the handle by said handle alsooperates the other said section whereby the said sections are moved toopen position simultaneously and to closed position simultaneously.

CLAREMONT. ROBERT MORRIS.

and when said ends are swung away

